CHAPTER 29
DISEASES OF THE SALIVARY GLANDS
ANATOMY. The salivary system comprises three large paired glands and
hundreds of small glands. The large paired glands are the parotid, sub-
mandibular and sublingual glands (Fig. 55). The small glands are of simple
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14
17
Fig. 55. The salivary glands. I, Outline of course of facial nerve within the parotid gland; 2, Parotid
gland; 3, Masseter muscle; 4, Digastric, posterior belly; 5, Stylohyoid muscle; 6, Hypoglossal nerve;
7, Internal carotid artery; 8, External carotid artery; 9, Anterior border of stemomastoid muscle; 10,
Parotid duct; 11, Sublingual fold; 12, Tongue; 13, Submandibular duct; 14, Sublingual salivary gland;
15, Digastric, anterior belly; 16, Mylohyoid muscle; 17, Submandibular salivary gland.
structure with a small secretory acinus and a simple duct, and are most
numerous In the mucous membrane covering the palate and the lower lip.
The parotid and Submandibular glands secrete into the oral cavity through a
main duct for each gland, but the sublingual gland has numerous small ducts.
The parotid gland is the largest and assumes an irregular pear shape. It is
wedged into the hollow behind the mandible and extends upwards to the
external auditory meatus and downwards beyond the angle of the mandible,
while a forward extension lies over the masseter muscle. It is enclosed in a
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